Jim Bergenn, an attorney with the law firm Shipman & Goodwin, had Chris Mattei and Norm Pattis as students.
WATERBURY, Conn. — The high-profile trial against Alex Jones for calling the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre a hoax continues this week and features some of Connecticut’s most prominent and cultured legal minds.
“UConn has a very, very good law school. They are exemplary lawyers,” said Jim Bergenn, attorney at the law firm Shipman & Goodwin.
Bergenn had both Chris Mattei – the families’ attorney – and Jones’ defense attorney, Norm Pattis, as students in his advocacy class.
“I happen to be very friendly with both of them because I’m in touch with my former students,” Bergenn said.
RELATED: Alex Jones set to give evidence as Waterbury prepares for his controversial and high-profile trial
Mattei and Pattis are adversaries in the courtroom but are they friends outside?
“No way,” Bergenn said. “These guys are not friends.”
Bergenn told FOX61 that Mattei has the much easier case, but runs the risk of numbing the jury’s minds with details.
“He is aware of this problem,” Bergeen said of Mattei. “He has his hands tied by the way Norm Pattis’ client behaved.”
Meanwhile, Pattis has the monumental challenge of trying to wrangle a difficult client.
“Lawyers are guided by very strong ethics. The customer comes first and unless the customer suffers from reduced capacity, which I have had a number of. You have to respect the customer’s choice,” Bergenn explained.
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Pattis is known for pushing the boundaries of free speech himself. He was criticized earlier this year for an offensive comedy routine. He also defended some of Connecticut’s most reviled suspects, like Fotis Dulos.
Mattei played a role in the prosecution of former Governor John Rowland and served as the head of fraud and corruption in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“We’re really looking at our justice system at its best,” Bergenn said.
RELATED: Alex Jones & InfoWars Mock Sandy Hook Hoax Lawsuit: Lawyer
Jones is due to give evidence as the trial continues in Waterbury Superior Court on Tuesday.
Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and instagram.
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